New leadership at Lower Sioux Police Department

Monday

Nov 26, 2012 at 11:16 AMNov 26, 2012 at 11:19 AM

On Sept. 1, Zach Lamblez took on a new law enforcement role as the Lower Sioux Police Department chief.

By Troy KrauseEditor

Zach Lamblez has always been the kind of person looking for the next challenge in life.From his time serving in the United States Marine Corps to his first role as a law enforcement officer, Lamblez took on the kinds of roles that would test his skills and abilities.That was evident again Sept. 1 when Lamblez officially took on a new law enforcement role as the Lower Sioux Police Depart-ment chief. “I am an enrolled member at White Earth,” said Lamblez, adding he sees the role of law enforcement on tribal land to be a great opportunity for him. “I don’t see it is a difficulty for me. In fact, I see the complete opposite. I prefer it.”Lamblez began his law enforcement career in 1999, but by that time he had already gained some experience in the military, as he spent one-and-a-half years of his four year stint in the Marines as an MP.While working with the military police program may not have been his first choice, Lamblez said he discovered it was something he enjoyed. He knew where he’d be working in the future.

So, after his honorable discharge from the Marines in 1995, Lamblez went back to his home area near Moorhead and ultimately earned an associate degree in law enforcement.“I was hired in November 1999 by the White Earth Police Department,” Lamblez said, adding he served in various roles along the way from officer and housing investigator to a criminal investigator specializing in sexual assaults.The White Earth reservation, said Lam-blez, covers parts of three different counties and hundreds of miles.In his new role at Lower Sioux the coverage area is much less, but Lamblez said the issues for a police department are similar.“Being able to work here with the Lower Sioux Police Department allows me to keep working with the people I love,” said Lamblez. “To work in Indian Country is where I think I can do my best work.”As LSPD chief, Lamblez is in his first administrative role, and he knows that means not only taking on the typical law enforcement roles, but it also means taking on the big picture issues, learning how to work with the community and helping create a crime prevention environment.Lamblez said his role with the LSPD is going well so far, and he is looking forward to meeting more people in the community.In addition to Lam-blez, Shane Auginaush has come on board as an officer at LSPD.The White Earth enrolled member is also a Marine Corps veteran and opted to attend the BIA police academy in New Mexico. He began working as a game warden at White Earth before becoming a licensed police officer for White Earth.He spent 10 years working his way up to patrol sergeant, and is now serving as lieutenant for the Lower Sioux department.Auginaush also works as an adjunct faculty member for Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin.Auginaush said he is excited for the new role as a member of the police department for the Lower Sioux Indian Community.A third new officer, Jason Deterling, who is a New Ulm native, has also joined the department. This is his first role as a police officer.There are five full-time officers, several part time officers and a canine officer that make up the LSPD.